"Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala has given us various faculties for various purposes - for example eyes to see, ears to hear and mouth to speak. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala has also given us a mind to think. But unfortunately many people do not think or worse they want other people to think for them in both worldly matters and religious matters. This is a serious abuse of the blessing that Allah has given us." - Dr Mohammed Akram Nadwi
Muslims are supposed to be thinkers! One of the greatest thinkers in the history of mankind is our father Ibrahim 'alayhi as-salaam who our own Prophet Muhammad sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam and his followers have been commanded to emulate. The whole of the story of Ibrahim 'alayhi as-salaam - from his childhood to old age - is about his quest to think and to search for answers. So deep is his thinking that he asked Allah the ultimate question of how He resurrects the dead because he wanted to understand to strengthen and satisfy his conviction. This is the powerful example of the beloved of Allah - Khalilullah - who used the mind the way it should be used. On the contrary people are misguided and misled because they do not use their mind to think. <<And they shall say: Had we but listened or pondered (used the mind or 'aql), we should not have been among the inmates of the burning fire.>> [Qur'an 67:10]
The whole of the Qur'an urges humankind to think, to understand, to reflect, to explore, to ponder and to use their intelligence. It also teaches us how to do that. So there is no better way to develop the use of our mind than to use the Qur'an itself.<<(This is) a Scripture that We have revealed unto thee, full of blessing, that they may ponder its revelations, and that people of understanding may reflect.>> [Qur'an 38:29]. <<Then do they not reflect upon the Qur'an? If it had been from [any] other than Allah , they would have found within it much contradiction.>> [Qur'an 4:82]
Coming up this Saturday inshaAllah is the most fascinating, deep and detailed explanation of a pair of surahs from Juz Amma, Surah Al-Fajr and Surah Al-Balad. Please make sure you attend this seminar either onsite in Cambridge or online worldwide.
Surah Al-Fajr & Al-Balad
By Shaykh Dr Mohammad Akram Nadwi (Oxford)
When: Saturday 22nd March 2014
Time: 9:45AM - 6:00PM Coffee & Registration: 9:30AM
Venue: Cambridge University, Lady Mitchell Hall, Sidgwick Site, Cambridge CB3 9DA
Online: Worldwide - Live & Recorded Access
You can either register for individual sessions or apply for an annual pass with 50% discount.
Individual Seminar Registration: http://courses.
Testimonials
"Jazakumullahu khayran. I can't thank you enough for the opportunity. I am so impressed by the Sheikh, subhanallah, mashaAllah. A very rare example of tradition fused with awareness of the environment and reality while not compromising God consciousness. If only there were more like him. Questions, I'm so glad we can ask them even if it's not about the sura. Yes, how else are we to learn from his wisdom and experience if we don't ask? The issues facing Muslims in the West are so many and so confusing and I just love the fact that he does not have an inferiority complex about Islam. It's really sad to see psychologically defeated scholars start throwing away tradition in the name of progress and fitting in. Sheikh Akram Nadwi gives you the sense that the real life is in the hereafter so don't have to get so tied up with the philosophies and controversies that sometimes take away our attention from the real purpose. The onus is on us, are we being pious?" - Aisha Barkatulla, Cambridge
"I recently attended the Tafsir of Surah Nuh. Whilst I had heard much about Shaykh Akram, this was my first class with him. The first thing that you cannot help but appreciate is how the Shaykh hooks you with his connection to knowledge, in a pure sense, there was no need to employ any speaking tactics to keep the attendees engrossed. The Shaykh, made every point relevant, to connect the text with our lives today and our response to get closer to our Creator. Indeed the Shaykh mentioned countless gems that he mentioned offhand but when contemplated on, really struck a chord in the heart. It was also great that the Shaykh was very open to questions, however sensitive, and tackled them head on, without compromising the principles of our faith, exemplifying that Allah azza wa jal has not only blessed him with knowledge, but also wisdom. I don't say this lightly, I genuinely believe, if you have the opportunity to study with the Shaykh, and you don't take it, then you have missed out on tasting the fruits of the knowledge of the Scholarship of our time and land" - Umer Suleman, South London
More Testimonials: http://courses.
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